First Order
The First Order, simply referred to as the Order, was a political and military faction—ruled by Supreme Leader Snoke and allied with the Knights of Ren—that came into existence as a result of the fall of the Galactic Empire. In the aftermath of the Battle of Jakku, the Empire formally surrendered to the New Republic by signing the Galactic Concordance, a peace treaty that marked the end of the Galactic Civil War in 5 ABY. In spite of its collapse the Empire's legacy survived in the Unknown Regions of the galaxy where former members of the Imperial Military plotted their return to power. Their cause would grow in support through some Imperial sympathizers who briefly inhabited a wing of Republic politics before abandoning the nascent democracy to join the Imperial-based movement in the Unknown Regions. Inspired by the fascist ideals of the Empire, this movement ultimately resulted in the formation of the First Order. __TOC__ Background Formation In the decades that followed the Empire's defeat, the First Order gradually built its strength through the secret mobilization of new fleets and armies in violation of the Galactic Concordance and Republic law. Despite further acts of defiance to the treaty, the Galactic Senate did not regard the First Order as a serious threat to the Republic. However, the Senate's inaction motivated the Rebel veteran Princess Leia Organa to found the Resistance. Although the First Order became entangled in a conflict with Organa's group, the Republic remained its primary target. After thirty years of plotting their revenge against the government that overthrew the Empire, the First Order test-fired the superweapon of Starkiller Base on the Hosnian system and thereby destroyed Hosnian Prime, the capital world of the Republic. Shortly thereafter, the Resistance launched a counterattack that resulted in the base's destruction. For roughly a thousand years, the Galactic Republic would maintain peace and stability within the galaxy, aided by the efforts of the monastic Jedi Order and Republic Judicial Forces. With the believed extinction of the Sith—ancient enemies of the Jedi Order and the Republic—the ruling Dark Lord Darth Sidious secretly plotted to overthrow the Republic with the formation of his own Sith Empire. Orchestrating a Secessionist Movement along with his apprentice Dooku by formulating political chaos across the galaxy, Sidious would secretly command a rival galactic government known as the Confederacy of Independent Systems in the destructive three-year Clone Wars, while ensuring himself elected as the next Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. Gradually amassing far more emergency powers than would be ordinarily allowed, along with changes to the Galactic Constitution, Sidious would eventually issue the Proclamation of the New Order, officially wiping away the thousand year old democracy in an instant and installing himself as the first Galactic Emperor. With a massive military machine to enforce his will and the destruction of the Jedi Order, Sidious would largely remain unchallenged throughout the initial nineteen years of his reign, embarking on the gradual conquest of the known galaxy. Eventually, the Alliance to Restore the Republic would be formed to oppose his aggressive expansion and genocidal actions, resulting in the destructive five-year Galactic Civil War. Four years after the destruction of its First Death Star by the hands of Luke Skywalker, the Empire would suffer a decisive defeat at the Battle of Endor, where its second and more powerful Death Star II would be destroyed and along with it, Galactic Emperor Palpatine and his right-hand man Darth Vader. Following another year of bloody conflict, the fractured Empire would make its last stand over the sandy wastes of Jakku against the New Republic, resulting in high casualties on both sides. Defeated and facing severe internal unrest, the Empire would be forced to sign the Galactic Concordance, severely limiting its ability to wage war and ushering in its transformation into a mere rump state. Category:Factions Category:Governments Category:Canon